Venus Rising

Yoga for LivingIssue: Scorpio 06

Delve Into Your Layers with Double Pigeon and Half Shoulder Stand

When a Scorpio is in balance, she willfully delves into the deep layers of herself. She loves exploring who she is and what makes her tick. On a good day, a Scorpio is able to do this with curiosity and without self-criticism. On a not-so-good day, she might be disappointed by what she uncovers and take this out on others. When practiced with compassion for self, this ability to look deeply inwards evokes self-understanding leading to self knowledge, the ultimate goal of yoga. Scorpios thrive on finding the deep meaning in life. Through feeling deeply, gathering insight from her feelings, and then making the positive change that honors her insights, a Scorpio accesses her ability to transform. 

In Hatha Yoga, a Scorpio desires to get to know the layers of her body. She is drawn to poses that access strong sensation. If you have ever tried to stretch your hips before, you know that they can hold a lot of feeling. The hips hold the deepest layers of muscle in the body, which is part of the reason we can stretch them for hours. They also contain the second major energy center or chakra, svadhisthana. Svadhisthana is located just in front of the sacrum in the area of the reproductive organs. Its element is water and it governs our relationships and our sexual life. Scorpio is a water sign which rules sex, and Scorpios are naturally drawn to exploring svadistana chakra and the hips.

DOUBLE PIGEON 

While the sun is in Scorpio, I encourage you to explore both svadhisthana chakra and the deep layers that live in the hips by practicing double pigeon pose. Sit with your legs folded in front of you. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee. Line up the shin bones as best as you can so that your ankles and knees are in line, just like the picture on the left. Then flex the feet. Lengthen and fold forward, just like the picture on the right. Breathe into the tight spots and try to relax. Stay until you feel something change and then switch sides.